


When In Rome

by beezwii



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch, Blackwatch (Overwatch) - Freeform, Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch Genji Shimada, Blackwatch Jesse McCree, Blackwatch Moira O'Deorain, Blackwatch Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Overwatch - Freeform, Pining, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Reader-Insert, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24360802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beezwii/pseuds/beezwii
Summary: As part of the legendary strike squad called Blackwatch, your job wasn't exactly a clean one. Still, you enjoyed it nonetheless, and your teammates were fun to be around. Except there was just one problem: you HATED Jesse McCree.[ON HOLD] McCree x Reader fic.
Relationships: Jesse McCree/Reader
Kudos: 21





	1. chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank you so much for even checking out this fic, as of right now (may 2020) it's only been peer-proofread once. Any comments are VERY appreciated, let me know how I can improve! <3 This fic is my baby.

There wasn’t a day that went by without you hating the sound of his voice. What a stupid fucking cowboy.

“We ain’t got all day to wait around for you, y/n, are you trainin’ or not?”

For the past month, you’d been stationed at Blackwatch’s new base. For the most part, you enjoyed it: you got along well with Genji, Moira was an exceptionally bright scientist, and Commander Reyes was never too harsh on you. Each one of them held a place in your heart. There were countless missions where they’d saved your ass just in time. Jesse McCree, however, was a different story. Every word he said made you want to knock his teeth out. It was torture just to work with him.

And here he was, banging on your room’s door, rushing you to get to training.

He didn’t deserve the luxury of a response. There was no point in giving him attention. Instead, you hustled into your training uniform, strapping a sword to each hip. Training with Genji was always fun. He understood the practicality of a sword. Plus, he actually knew how to use one. If he was busy, then you’d train with Reyes, deflecting bullet after bullet. You glanced at the clock. Five minutes until you had to be in the training room, and McCree still had the nerve to rush you. 

You were pleasantly surprised to see he wasn’t waiting at your door when you stepped out into the hall. Everyone had settled into a routine eventually, and though he never said it, McCree enjoyed being early to practice. He wasn’t the only one, either. You were the last one to the gym. Reyes and Genji were already warmed up and training together, so you settled for a few warm-up laps. Each lap had to be faster than the last. There was a certain standard for Blackwatch agents to meet, and not meeting it could cost you your life. Daily training wasn’t the worst thing in the world, and you actually enjoyed running. Being a swordsman meant you had to be more agile than those using guns. Plus, you didn’t have all the bulky equipment that Reyes and McCree wore. Thank god.

As you finished your last lap, your eyes roamed the room for a training partner. Moira was… out of sight, and Genji and Reyes were training together. All that was left was McCree, who fired shots at a target across the room. He tipped his hat to nobody in particular, putting on his tough-guy attitude even when there wasn’t anybody around. Was he seriously practicing his attitude more than he was practicing on his shots? There was no way in hell you were getting within five feet of him, so you settled on a dummy. Slashing at it put your mind at ease, and soon it was the only thing you were thinking about. Reyes snapped you out of your trance by calling for lunchtime.

You were starving, and judging by the atmosphere in the room, you weren’t the only one. Piling on all sorts of veggies onto your plate, you found a comfortable place to eat and settled in between a few of the more office-centered workers. The base was home to all kinds of people, and it was weird to imagine that not all of them had the kind of clearance you did. These were people who managed Blackwatch’s files and taxes. They had a much more lenient schedule than you did, and they had the option to live off-base. Still, they were just as important as you were, even if they weren’t sent out on missions to assassinate Talon operatives. 

There was something so tranquil about blending in here. You’d never liked to stand out, and your first few days on the base were rough. Everything was still so new, and being at the top of the chain made you even more nervous. 

The sound of shouting erupted from a table nearby, and everyone turned to look. Of course, Jesse McCree was making a scene. You expected nothing less from the man. He didn’t seem to be angry, just full of emotion, and it bothered you to no end. Why couldn’t he just sit down and enjoy his meal like everyone else? 

“Strike squad briefing in twenty,” he hollered and swiftly left the cafeteria. What an egotistical asshole. It was clear that he loved being the center of attention, even if it wasn’t his job. It was Reyes’ job to call the shots. It wasn’t worth deciphering if Reyes actually cared, his face never shifted from the stoic glare he wore, but it was hard not to feel for him. After all, he was essentially babysitting McCree. 

There were just about a million reasons why you hated Jesse McCree, and every day he added one more to the list. What a talented young man. 

Throwing away your salad, you made your way to your bedroom. Twenty minutes gave you just enough time to shower and get cleaned up. Despite your clearance, you still had to look presentable at meetings. Settling on the most comfortable, yet put-together look you could find, you hopped in the shower and freshened up. 

Of course, the briefing was in stark contrast to how the day had been going. Reyes wore his signature scowl, and you were greeted with silence as you took your seat. 

"I've gotten word from the security department that one of our cameras has footage of Talon agents operating a few towns over," Reyes spoke. "Normally this wouldn't be an issue, and I hope it's not one. Talon could be planning anything and we don't want them zeroing in on our location. I'm assigning McCree and l/n to investigate"

Your eyes nearly popped out of your head. McCree looked like he was on the verge of snapping. 

"Commander Reyes, I completely respect your decision, but why are you sending both me and McCree on this mission?"

"It's plain to see that you two hate each other's guts. I can't make you enjoy each other's company but if we're going to operate then you two need to learn to get along. It should be a small mission. Learn to live with it."

"Well, I'm not one to whine about my circumstances," McCree said. "And if ya want me to work with 'er then I'll do it, boss." What a suck-up. McCree eyed you, shooting you a glance of pure annoyance, before flashing a smile at Reyes. "So what's the plan?"

"You'll be out and about as tourists. We'll mic you, and you should report any Talon agents as soon as possible. They have an image to maintain, but you'll be able to spot the talon pin they wear."

"So ya want us to spend the day people watchin', and starin' at their arms" He scoffed. "Sure as hell sounds like an easy job."

"Good. I expect peak performance from both of you, regardless of mission difficulty. Genji and I will be on standby. Moira will be ready if anything goes wrong. You'll leave tomorrow at seven on Jesse's bike. Be back on base by midnight."

You felt utterly defeated. An entire day by his side when you could hardly tolerate him for a few minutes. As soon as the meeting was dismissed, McCree waltzed over to you and began to run his mouth. 

"Well, would ya look at that. We've got a mission tomorrow. Wouldn't want you to oversleep, darlin', so I'll stop by your room to wake you up." His tone made it sound like he was trying his best to be genuine, but the cheshire cat-esque grin on his face said everything but. 

"Shove it, cowboy. I don't need you to wake me up, I can meet you at the west exit by six forty-five. And I sure as hell don't need you to call me darling."

He laughed. "Whatever you say, darlin'," and before you had the chance to yell at him he was making his way down the hall to his bedroom. 

It took every ounce of strength in your body not to slam your door and smash everything in your room. He infuriated, no, he enraged you. You let out a muffled scream into your pillow and found the energy to shrug off your clothes and put your pajamas on. It all hit you at once- the hatred, the mission, the loneliness of being on a base as an agent for some super-secret organization. This wasn't the life you ever dreamed you'd have.

Yet, at the end of the day, it was the life you signed up for.


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and McCree make your way to a small town in hopes of a peaceful mission. Or, as peaceful as things will get, given that you two are working together.

You thought you beat the boy to his own bike, but when you reached the west exit he was already there. Leaning against his bike, which seemed to be some kind of upgraded motorcycle, he looked like a poster boy for the world’s worst secret agent. The whole point of blackwatch was to operate under a cover, and all McCree wanted to do was flash a dazzling smile and let the world know that he wanted to be seen.

“Well, g’mornin’, sleepyhead.” He sounded as if the coffee was still making its way through his body. This was somewhat better; at least he didn’t have the energy to try to get on your nerves. It was a talent of his, though, and you internally groaned every time he opened his mouth.

“We gonna get a move on or what? Reyes wanted us there by eight and it’s an hour’s drive.” 

“Well, I’d get on your obnoxiously large bike, but there’s only one seat.”

He laughed. “Only one seat? Sweetheart, this bike fits three people. You can sit behind me.”

“That doesn’t seem very safe. Knowing you, you’ll throw me off and leave me to die on the side of the road.” 

“Didn’t seem to think about safety when ya joined Blackwatch, did ya? Just hold on to me and you’ll be fine.” The idea of having physical contact with him made you gag. Blood rushed into your face, causing a blush. 

“Fine. Get on the damn bike.”

Pleased to have gotten his way, he sat down on the oversized bike like it was second nature to him. You, however, stumbled. First your leg had some trouble swinging around to the other side of the bike, then it was hard for you to shift your weight correctly. Finally, having gotten comfortably settled (no thanks to a certain somebody), you settled your hands on either side of his waist.

Neither of you said anything. The garage was open, and around the corner a morning guard patrolled. McCree flashed a thumbs up to him, and then it was just the two of you at seventy miles per hour. 

Given the simple instructions of, “dress like a tourist,” you had attempted a more casual look. Your partner did not. His belt buckle shined against his button down and jeans. At least he was somewhat competent, but then again, it looked like his outfit was thrown together out of anything in his closet that didn’t resemble the wild west. That stupid hat of his remained perched on his head.

Oh well. There was no changing it now. Both of you sat in a silence, one that wasn’t awkward but it was less than comfortable. There was an odd sort of comfort as he leaned into his turns, a comfort that you had developed over the past forty-five minutes. 

The city came closer and closer until finally, you were driving down the streets. Reyes was right, it was a tourist town. Mccree tucked his bike into an alleyway and lent you his hand to help you off the bike. 

“Coffee?” He offered, glancing over at a small cafe with outdoor seating. Without waiting for an answer he made his way over. You jogged to keep up. If he wanted to be the shot-caller, so be it. Arguing on a mission wasn’t a good look and both of you knew that. 

Eventually you fell into the same step, walking side by side. You were careful not to obscure the camera attached to your shirt, a miniscule pin that anyone else wouldn’t think twice about. McCree wore his by the buttons of his shirt. He deserved credit for that.

“Salve,” the man behind the bar greeted you as you both walked in. “What can I get you both?”

“I’ll have a black coffee.”

“Can I get a small hot chocolate, please?”

McCree scoffed at you once you found a quiet place to sit down. “You’re in Italy, and you’re at a coffee shop, and you get a hot chocolate?”

“Caffeine makes me jittery!” you rebutted. “And you’re one to talk, mister black coffee.”

He didn’t respond with words, only flicking the tip of his hat up. You rolled your eyes and turned to face the street, making sure your camera had a clear shot. McCree muttered some words to himself, then tapped an earpiece. 

“How come Reyes gave you an earpiece and not me!” 

“Probably ‘cause he assigned me to be mission leader,” he said. A mischievous smile made its way across his face. Letting out a small grunt, you sipped your hot chocolate. The warmth burnt your tongue and throat but you kept your face still. 

“Pull your daggers,” he warned. Confusion showed on your face.

“Talon,” he repeated. “They don’t see us yet but they will. Hands on your daggers.”

He spoke with Reyes for a bit, getting instructed on what to do. You only heard his half of the conversation.   
“See that guy, blue shirt? Talon pin. Let’s trail ‘em.” Keeping your distance, you walked at a steady pace behind him. How McCree even recognized the talon pin was a mystery. The man seemed normal enough, strolling into a laundromat.

As you watched through the glass, the Talon agent approached a man sitting inside. They talked, and then headed to a back room. Yeah, that was definitely something to raise suspicion. 

Your gaze fell to McCree’s hand hovering over his Peacekeeper.

“Permission to interact,” he noted, and the two of you headed inside. The laundromat was empty and the back door remained shut. As if instinctively, McCree stepped forward and covered you with his arm.

“I’m the one with the gun. I can’t have anything happen to you.”

You crept closer to the door, still partially blocked from harm. Swallowing your fear, you watched as your partner turned the handle. 

There was nobody inside. He reported as such into his ear piece, and told you to head back to the bike.

“We ain’t gonna start a fight today. Go back to the bike, we’ll split up and I’ll meet ya there.”

Hands still on your daggers, you nodded in approval and made your way to the alley by the coffee shop. There was the occasional pause to look in store windows but nothing caught your eye. You weren’t here to shop, you were here to play tourist and get info. 

Worry set in as you made it to the bike before McCree did. Had he done something reckless and got himself killed? Had he taken matters into his own hands? Did Reyes know that the two of you had split up?

Of course Reyes knew. The body cams you both were wearing guaranteed your safety. Taking a deep breath, you decided that you were simply being irrational. He would be back any minute to make some stupid one-liner and piss you off. 

One minute turned into five minutes and you grew even more anxious. Footsteps pounded from deeper in the alleyway, behind you. You drew your daggers and silenced your breathing. In the dark shadows from the buildings, you could see the outline of a cowboy hat walking toward you. Oh, god, he was safe. He really was safe, once he came closer you saw that it was him. 

A nasty gash ran across his cheekbone. The beginnings of a bruise formed under his eye.

“Get on the bike,” he commanded, and you did as such. This time was far easier and you were thankful that you didn’t burden the cowboy with your lack of grace. You felt him flinch under your touch as you grabbed on to his waist for support.

“McCree, what happened? Are you okay?”

“Oh, so now you’re all boo-hoo asking if I’m okay. Can’t you just shove it ‘till the mission report?”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean any harm.”

He let out a long sigh. “I know ya didn’t. I’m sorry. You n’ I are always at each other’s throats. Doesn’t help I got my ass handed to me ‘bout ten minutes ago.” Despite the thickness of his southern drawl, you could hear the empathy in his voice. This was a first for both of you.

Neither of you talked for a while. It wasn’t until you were back on base grounds that he looked back at you.

“I gotta stop by the medic’s and get this cleaned up. You need somethin’?”

It was nice, him showing a newfound respect for you. You shook your head no and retreated back to your room. The briefing wasn’t for a while, you were supposed to be home later but it seemed Reyes had commanded that the two of you get the hell out of there. 

Your head hurt. Too much had happened and what McCree said had really hit home. You two were usually at each other's throats. Was he trying to extend an olive branch to you? Whatever he was trying to do, it was clear to you that it was going to take some time. Part of you dreaded seeing him at the report, the other was excited to see how he’d behave. If he was going to start showing you respect, maybe you could do the same for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh sorry i was supposed to upload this yesterday but i did not have the motivation to finish writing it on time sorry!!!


End file.
